Currently, Windows 7 is installed but was going to remove that drive (after all work has been uploaded) and install Windows 8 on another drive. My question is 'Can I name my Windows 8 computer as bj1 while the Windows 7 computer is still showing?'
So, in other words; there would be two computers named bj1 Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Currently, Windows 7 is installed but was going to remove that drive (after all work has been uploaded) and install Windows 8 on another drive. My question is 'Can I name my Windows 8 computer as bj1 while the Windows 7 computer is still showing?'
So, in other words; there would be two computers named bj1 Windows 7 and Windows 8.

bj

I believe that Boinc will allow you to do that and join the system. You may then be able to 'merge' the 2 computers together. I've done this between different levels of operating systems successfully. Not sure what else Boinc looks at when it merges computers.

If you keep a copy of your BOINC data directory and copy that on your Win8 host before you install BOINC, BOINC will think it's the same computer and will even continue tasks which were not completed under Win7 (at least with CPU tasks there should be no issues). It will than update the information in the host's web details just like it would do if you for example installed a new graphics card. That's the easiest way, no attaching to projects, installing opt apps, merging or whatever needed. I did that when going from XP to 7, only CPID of the host changed, but that doesn't matter..

Currently, Windows 7 is installed but was going to remove that drive (after all work has been uploaded) and install Windows 8 on another drive. My question is 'Can I name my Windows 8 computer as bj1 while the Windows 7 computer is still showing?'
So, in other words; there would be two computers named bj1 Windows 7 and Windows 8.

bj

Yes, you can use the same computer name. Seti's server will create a new ID for your computer, and then you can merge them (as they have the same CPU/memory). The old computer ID (Win 7) will disappear from the list, and the credits / stats will migrate to the new computer ID.

I think I'll do what Amauri said. Kind of figures that would be possible but didn't want add more problems than what there are. The op system has been already install on a drive on the windows 7 computer yesterday. So called MS and see if I could swap the drive into a different computer and do a clean install which would have to be re-activated. Didn't think I would be able set Win 8 the way I want (even got it to boot straight to the desktop) but it seems to work better than Win 7. Had to call Cable to make sure about the email since Win 8 does not use the pop3 protocol.

Seems like all is coming together with the Windows 8 op system so far. Even some apps that wouldn't work on the preview works now.

No New Tasks, wait for the cache to drain down, report all work. Suspend network communications, then shut BOINC down. Then copy the entire BOINC folder from C:\ProgramData before you shut win7 down to a flash drive or other means of back-up. After installing Win8, paste the BOINC folder back to ProgramData, then install BOINC, allow network communications, hit update once (or more until you get a successful contact), then allow new tasks once again. Done.

Realistically, you don't even have to run your cache down. Just suspend network then shut BOINC down, copy the folder, paste later, make sure things still crunch properly, then allow network again. If things go haywire, you can just delete the pasted folder, try to fix what you think the problem is, then paste the back-up again.Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

BOINC isn't interested in your computer name - you can even have two completely different computers attached to the same BOINC account with the same name at the same time.

There would be a problem if you really had two different computers with the same name on the same network - windows would freak out, and you couldn't share folders or printers - but that wouldn't apply here, with a software upgrade but only one set of hardware.

BOINC does everything by the HostID number, and by using the techniques Link and Cosmic_Ocean suggest, you can hang on to the existing HostID and save yourself the trouble of any subsequent merging.

BOINC isn't interested in your computer name - you can even have two completely different computers attached to the same BOINC account with the same name at the same time.

There would be a problem if you really had two different computers with the same name on the same network - windows would freak out, and you couldn't share folders or printers - but that wouldn't apply here, with a software upgrade but only one set of hardware.

BOINC does everything by the HostID number, and by using the techniques Link and Cosmic_Ocean suggest, you can hang on to the existing HostID and save yourself the trouble of any subsequent merging.

Since I'm not in a rush, I"ll probably set to NNT and let lt run dry.
I think I did this same thing before.
Another situation arose, so might be later on but thanks to all for the suggestions.